The UK’s longest running and best small festival Truck has just announced its first wave of artists for 2018 to ring in its 21st birthday. The festival, which formed two decades ago in 1998, will this year take place from 19th – 22nd July at Hill Farm in Steventon, Oxfordshire. 2018 will be the first time ever that the festival has opened its doors on the Thursday with the festival taking place over four days this year.

Heading up the festival on it’s opening Thursday are band of brothers Peace, with Mercury Prize nominated indie rockers Friendly Fires topping the bill on Friday and four-time Brit nominated and multi million selling singer-songwriter George Ezra headlining the Saturday. Sunday headliners to be announced in the next wave of acts very soon, George commented on what fans can expect from his set:“I’m so excited to be playing my first ever Truck Festival and over the moon that my debut gets to be as headliner. It’s been on my bucket list for a long time. My new album Staying At Tamara’s will have been out in the world for a few months by then so I’ll be coming to beautiful Oxfordshire armed with a host of new songs and a few choice oldies, and can’t wait to get up and play. See you there!” – George Ezra

Festival Organiser Matt Harrap commented, “We're extremely excited to announce our first wave of artists for this year’s show! Having artists of the calibre of George Ezra and Friendly Fires coming to headline the event after many years of asking is truly humbling and their sets will no doubt live long in the memory.Returning heroes Peace will be the perfect way to kick off the festival with our first ever Thursday headliners. Personally I'm really thrilled to have the legend that is Gaz Coombes back at his favourite festival for the first time since 2013 as well as some brilliant up and coming local talent such as Low Island, Little Brother Eli and Kanadia. Mix in the likes of De La Soul, Jake Bugg and Everything Everything and the epic Switch takeover of Palm City then we've got a real party!What's even more excitingis this is only the beginning with a special Sunday headliner due to be announced very soon! With ticket sales ahead of this time last year, we really recommend not hanging around!”

The festival, which prides itself as the “anti major festival” has long championed local artists with Oxford’s own Gaz Coombes back this year, he commented“Very excited to be joining the line up at Truck Festival this year. See you in the fields my lovelies!” – Gaz Coombes

As well as Oxfordshire based artists such as Kanadia, Little Brother Eli, Switch DJ’s, Low Island, I Cried Wolf, Leader and of course Oxford Symphony Orchestra, the festival has just launched its Band App which offers the chance for local bands to submit their music to Truck’s organisers and be offered a spot to play the festival. Truck Festival’s organisers personally listen to every single submission. Artists should upload their music to Truck’s website by 30th March -https://truckfestival.com/contact/band-app/

The line-up also includes emerging artists such as hotly tipped The Sherlocks, Pale Waves, Marika Hackman, Nervus and The Amazons amongst others.

The Amazons - who were originally tipped for stardom in the BBC Sound of 2017 and released their debut last year to great acclaim - have praised Truck for championing the local music scene and new artists:“We remember playing Truck Festival in 2016. It was one of the craziest crowds we’d got at that point in our careers. Excited to be returning to a festival that’s a stone’s throw away from our home in Berkshire, and one that has been an excellent supporter of local music for the last few years.” – The Amazons

The line-up also offers plenty of artists performing a little further from home including New York hip-hop icons De La Soul and fellow Americans, indie rockers We Are Scientists who will be performing on the back of their much anticipated album ‘Megaplex’.